Argh! The deer are destroying my garden!! Help!

[Anonymous]

This is our first summer in our house. I put in hours and hours this spring getting my gardens in shape...only to discover we have voracious and fearless deer - andapparently everything I planted is fabulously delicious! Any tips on how to chase them away - chemicals? fencing? I have two big dogs and they must not be scary enough. What else can I do?

[Anonymous]

Our fence keeps them out.

Also, they don't like marigolds, so if you plant the perimeter of the garden with marigolds, it's supposed to help keep them out. (I don't think marigolds are toxic to them, they just don't like them, so I think they will eat them if they're really hungry, but if there are other choices, they will bypass the marigolds for something tastier.)

[Anonymous]

Do they have to be yellow or would the white ones work, too?
Also - any ideas about shade plants they don't like?

[Anonymous]

Marigolds do work and there are other flowers that will keep them away. I saw a bunch at home depot - sorry I don't remember the names.

My dad is a life long gardener, he said to plant the marigold boarder and then put a garlic clove in between each flower. Not too deep, just enough so that the clove is covered. I also put up a make shift fence with four posts and fencing material from HD. It costs me about $20 total.

[Anonymous]

Most nurseries, including American Plant, have good plant guides for things that deer will not eat. They hate boxwood, for starters. If you, like me, love hostas, you will have to stop spending money on them -- very expensive deer "lettuce."

You can also spray liquid fence sprays of things like fox urine (or google deer spray for your own recipe). It does have some effectiveness for both deer and rabbits.

[Anonymous]

http://njaes.rutgers.edu/deerresistance/

There's also herbal deer repellant sprays that work reasonably well—but not as well as a fence!

[Anonymous]

Your fence may discourage the deer, but I'd be surprised if your fence keeps them out for long. They'll come back once they're done eating the neighbors' hostas. I've seen a deer easily clear a six foot fence. The only sure solution is to plant things they don't like to eat.

[Anonymous]

The deer population is a real problem here.The only sure way to keep plants safe is netting, unfortunately.

Some unsolicited advice: if deer visit your yard regularly you should check for your kids for ticks every night. Also, take a close look at your yard--where there are deer is a lot of deer poop. It is disgusting. I really like Barnaby woods but could never live there b/c of too much wildlife. Btwn the deer, foxes and coyotes is like the wild kingdom over there.

[Anonymous]

We comb out our long hair cats and save it to distribute around the gardens. Deer can't distinguish between house cat and wild cat. They also haven't eaten anything where have to stand in stones.